Cappelletti in Broth

Ingredients

• 500 g Beef shank
• 500 g Capon
• 1 whole Carrot
• 1 stalk Celery
• 1 whole Onion
• 150 g Pork loin
• 150 g Chicken breast
• 80 g Mortadella
• 120 g Parmigiano reggiano
• 5 whole Egg
• 1 pinch Nutmeg
• 20 g Butter
• 400 g All-purpose flour
• 1 to taste Salt

Steps

1. Prepare the broth first: place the beef and capon (or chicken) pieces in a large pot with 3 litres of cold water, the carrot, celery, onion and a pinch of salt.
2. Bring slowly to a gentle simmer, skimming off the foam, and cook uncovered for about 3 hours.
3. Strain through a fine sieve and let the fat rise so you can skim it.
4. Make the filling: gently brown the pork and chicken in a little butter until cooked through, season lightly, then mince finely together with the mortadella using a knife or food processor.
5. Combine with the Parmigiano, egg, a generous grating of nutmeg and salt.
6. The mixture should be firm and compact; rest it in the fridge for at least 1 hour.
7. Make the pasta: mound the flour, crack in the eggs and knead for about 10 minutes into a smooth, elastic dough.
8. Wrap and rest 30 minutes at room temperature.
9. Roll the dough very thin with a rolling pin or pasta machine.
10. Cut into squares of about 3.5 cm.
11. Work with a small portion at a time, keeping the rest covered so it does not dry.
12. Place a tiny hazelnut of filling in the centre of each square.
13. Fold into a triangle and press the edges to seal.
14. Wrap the long side around your fingertip and pinch the two corners together to form the classic little hat.
15. Arrange the cappelletti on a floured cloth without overlapping.
16. Meanwhile bring the strained broth back to a gentle boil and taste for salt.
17. Drop the cappelletti into the simmering broth and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until they float and the pasta is tender but al dente.
18. Serve piping hot, ladling broth and cappelletti into warm bowls, with extra grated Parmigiano passed at the table.

Tips

• Roll the dough as thin as possible — paper-thin pasta is the hallmark of a true Romagna cappelletto. Make a big batch and freeze them raw on a tray, then bag them; cook straight from frozen, adding a minute to the time. A clean, well-skimmed broth is everything: never let it boil hard or it will turn cloudy.